Jobs.

Positively the best way to do business

February 03, 2002|By Carol Kleiman.

Here are some insights into the world of work and how positive approaches make a positive difference.

A good exit: Recently, I wrote about the fact that when times get tough employers sometimes ask workers to take a pay cut, but when economic conditions get better, it's rare for companies to pay back employees the wages they lost. But not all companies are so cold-hearted, says Petro Pawluk, a software engineer who lives in northwest suburban Bartlett.

"I once worked for a company that was having a hard time paying their bills," Pawluk said. "But rather than lay off employees, they instituted a pay cut of 25 percent for managers and 10 percent for other employees.

"That lasted for six months and then they restored our salaries. After business picked up, we received a payback of 5 percent. Soon it was 10 percent. And when the payback ended, they thanked me for my loyalty--and let me keep the 10 percent I was getting as my next annual raise."

Now, that's the way companies should be run, in good times and bad!

Celebrating headhunters: Many job seekers are wary of dealing with headhunters because executive recruiters represent the hiring company, not the job seeker. Yet recruiters are important to your job search if you're a viable candidate for them.

"There are a plethora of benefits a smart candidate can reap from working with a reputable recruiter," said Gina M. Akred of Chicago, a consultant with The Opportunities Group, an executive search firm.

In fact, you can make recruiters work for you, she says: "Recruiters offer pre-interview consultations and specific information about the company in order to give candidates every possible advantage. We also develop individualized strategic game plans that are extremely beneficial to their job searches."

So when the recruiter asks you for information, such as your social security number, don't conclude it's solely an invasion of privacy, Akred said. It may simply be a crucial step in the placement process--verifying employment.

Celebrating promotions: When employers spend time and money to celebrate a new promotion, it shows they care about their employees, observes Jack H. Grossman of Deerfield, a psychologist and former associate professor of management.

And even though most of us think managers don't need much support, Grossman emphasizes the importance of giving them a pat on the back when they advance in rank.

"Celebrating promotions of new managers in a manner that's meaningful to them is one way a company can demonstrate its caring attitude," said Grossman, co-author with J. Robert Parkinson of "Becoming a Successful Manager: How to Make a Smooth Transition from Managing Yourself to Managing Others" (Contemporary Books, $14.95).

Grossman says when an employee graduates to managing a staff, "it's a milestone and an achievement worth celebrating ... treated with the same reverence as graduates, marriages, anniversaries and birthdays." The psychologist suggests having a luncheon for the new manager and "making it a memorable occasion."

And even if you're not a manager, it still feels good to be celebrated by your bosses. For any reason at all.

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Carol Kleiman's column also appears in Tuesday's Business and Wednesday's Working sections. Watch her Career Coach segments Sunday and Tuesday mornings on CLTV. Send e-mail to ckleiman@tribune.com.